Augusto Fernández was not lucky at the start of the MotoGP tests in Qatar. This Monday, the Red Bull GasGas Tech3 rider suffered a fall near the end and, before that, was reduced to one bike due to the engine failure of one of his KTM RC16s. He finished in 20th position on the table.
#37 mentioned to the press that, despite the misfortunes he had, he ended up drawing positive conclusions from this Monday: ‘I have to say that we didn’t have the best of luck, because I had a fall in turn one and destroyed the bike, so I couldn’t attack the stopwatch with soft tires. And also on the third outing of the day we had an engine failure, so we worked with only one bike. Things went like this, but I’m very happy with the work we did in the garage. We recovered all the sensations, my riding, everything. We did a good job; obviously, coming from where I come from, it’s not in one day that we’ll get there. But I feel the bike, I feel everything, I feel that everyone is working well. So now it depends on me. I had a fall at the end as I said, which didn’t help… in the end it’s only for the time tables, but we know the work we did and we understand where we are, so I’m looking forward to tomorrow’.
About the fall he suffered, Fernández explained: ‘I lost the front in turn one, very early. It was a bit strange, but it was on a tire with 21 laps, so very old. That’s why… also with the soft front tire and 20 laps is not ideal, but it was the work we wanted to do. So we understand everything and it happened. It’s a shame because we lost the attack on the stopwatch, but we have tomorrow’.
Questioned about whether there is more progress than in Sepang, the Spanish confirmed: ‘Yes. And also being competitive throughout the day more or less at the pace. Obviously, it depends on the time on track and how you manage the tires. But as I said, we did a good job. We are there. I am also understanding what I lack. There is work to be done for tomorrow, but we are on the right track’.
As for the track conditions, Fernández commented: ‘I have to say that it was dirty and windy in the first part of the afternoon, but it cleared up very quickly and now it was good in the evening. You see the times, they are not very bad. So tomorrow I think they will be faster’.
